Waveguide mixer



Jan. 12, 1954 Filed April 5, 1945 DICKE WAVEGUIDE MIXER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 22 FREQUENCY FIG. I

23 FREQUENCY ,cmmsaa CHANGER I. F RECEIVER I. E I. E RECEIVER RECEIVER SIG NA L SOURCE 6| RECEIVER P62 FIG .2 RECEIVER as FREQUENCY CHANGER g 4 4g 79 7 1 I l l 9| .56 2350mm 72 75 76\ CHANGER 52 al 65 LOCAL OSCILLATOR J as FREQUENCY SIGNAL -44 CHANGER SOURCE INVENTOR.

ROBERT H DICKE BY 7 fld/ ehaw 9,4 11% ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1954 R DlCKE 2,666,134

WAVEGUIDE MIXER Filed April 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

RECEIVER L 9 LOCAL OSCILLATOR 108 IO7\ FREQUENCY CHANGER H3 95 us 99 I nos I06 FREQUENCY |o| CHANGER FREOJ EJGY SIGNAL R RECEIVER SOURQE IO4T ANSMITTER AFC -|03 SIGNAL I26 SOURCE FIG 4 H34 FREQUENCY CHANGER FREQUENCY CHANGER 7:43 SIG m AFC m2 AFC 'L 37y l 8 *7 I l I l ma l 144' I5 I] I45 \I4I AFC SIG AFC SIG INVENTOR.

ROBERT H. DI C KE ATTORNE V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WAVEGUIDE MIXER Robert H. Dicke, Cambridge, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of War Application April 3, 1945, Serial N 0. 586,413

18 Claims.

This invention relates to transmission systems and more particularly to wave guide systems.

According to conventional theory certain elements, such as vacuum tubes, silicon crystals and and local oscillator energy may be combined Without noise from the local oscillator appearing at the output of the mixing circuit.

Another object of this invention is to provide other elements possessing non-linear electrical a m xing circuit wherein signal energy and local characteristics, may be used as mixers or, as they oscillator energy may be combined without causwill be referred to later, frequency changing ing radiation of energy from the local oscillator. means. When energy of two radio frequencies A further object of this invention is to provide is impressed across such an element and a load, a signal mixing circuit and an AFC mixing cirenergy of several new frequencies will appear cuit which circuits are fed from a single local osacross the load. Included will be energy of a frecillator source.

quency equal to the difference of the two fre- Astill further object of this invention is to proquencies of energy at the input, hence the term vide a mixing circuit wherein signal and autofrequency changer or mixer. In radio work this matic frequency control mixing are performed by energy of difference-frequency is utilized and the same mixer and the signal and AFC output called energy of intermediate frequency. Interenergies are segregated after the mixing. mediate frequency will consistently be referred to Another and still further object of this invenas the IF frequency. In the normal case energy tion is to provide a mixing circuit in which the of one frequency is supplied as a signal, and eneffect of mixer impedance variation is minicrgy of a second frequency is supplied by a local mized.

oscillator. In high gain receivers, however, noise In my copending patent application, Serial No. of sufficient magnitude to be undesirable also ap- 58, 26 filed March 22, 1945, now Patent No. pears in the output of the local oscillator and at 2,547,378 granted April 3, 1951, I have disclosed a such frequencies as to combine at the mixer and radio frequency mixer employing a simple waveproduce noise at theIFfrequency. guide in which a pair of crystal detectors are Most frequency changing means, depending for mounted at spaced points and fed by the signals their operation as they do upon their non-linear to be mixed, one of the detectors being fed by the electrical characteristics, have impedances which signals in phase and the other being fed by the very ith t ph s of th energies being imsignals in 180 phase opposition. Such an arpressed upon them. Therefore, a frequency 30 rangement eliminates undesirable products of the Changing means which is a properly matched mixing circuit from the intermediate frequency part of a complete system at one instant of a circuits coupled thereto. cycle will be mismatched at another instant of In the present application I obtain the dethe cycle. This variation of impedance and subsirable results of the system disclosed in patent sequent mismatch is highly undesirable. application Serial No. 584,226 and further avoid In many applications of radio where transmisundesirable interaction between the signals to be sion and reception are accomplished at the same mixed. frequency, it is highly desirable to have auto- The above-mentioned objects ar achieved by matic frequency control hereinafter also referred employing four waveguide arms connected toto as AFC. When other radio sets are in operagether to form a T-bridge with the signals to be tion nearby and operating at approximately the mixed coupled to a pair of these arms and a pair same frequency, transmission from these nearby of crystal detectors coupled to th remaining sets may affect these AFC circuits. To eliminate arms in a manner whereby the crystals are fed this, various methods have been employed to sein phase with one of the signals and out of phase cure control of the frequency during transmiswith the other. sion only. These methods include use of direc- For a better understanding of the invention, tional couplers and other methods in which any together with other and further objects theresignal will be very highly attenuated or reduced of, reference is had to the following description in magnitude. Since transmission is normally at taken in connection with the accompanying a much higher level than reception, these methdrawings in which: ods insure that AFC will be affected by transmis- Fig. 1 shows a wave guide frequency changer sion only. When such an AFC system is used, circuit toward which this invention is directed; two mixers are generally used. This necessitates Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the frequency the use of either two local oscillators or two outchanger circuit of Fig. 1 having separate signal lets on one local oscillator. and AFC outputs;

In systems for mixing signal energy and local Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the freoscillator energy used heretofore, another objecquency changer circuit of Fig. 1 having separate tion was that energy from the local oscillator signal and AFC outputs; I could and was being radiated. For military and Fig. 4 shows still another embodiment of the civilian purposes this is highly undesirable. frequency changer circuit of Fig. 1 having signal An object of this invention, therefore, is'to and AFC energy inacommon output.

provide a mixing circuit wherein signal energy Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, there is 3 2 shown a wave guide frequency changing circuit which ernplgys a T- ,bri e H. The Lbridge II. comprises of. branches "I2, i3, (I; and 15; To form a"T-bridgejtlia'branchs 12-15 inclusive must have the following relationship. The axes of the four branches must meet in a point. A first and. second of these branches must'be. sym

metrical with respect to a plane which passes and fourth branches are so disposed that the;

electric lines of force therein are mutually perpendicular. The term If-bridge asused in the sr iifica n a d c ms. sha l, elui d toosi s be the bridge that is' .t iefin ed in the prior two sentences, Inthe Preferred embodiment the axes th t nd con re h q nee and the axes of the third and fourth branches are u a ly e e dicu ar o e fhother and to the ies; f efi t a d econd branc es, Ne he p efer d e d ment nor the. des gnat o f branch numbers for purposes of explanations are to be'taken as any limitation of the invention er n. le cr bed h T-br qee. also includ s irise or curtains I6 and2l. The irises lt and 2] are. so e rrangedlat thefjunction of branchesIIZ, i 3, l 2 and I5 and are'of such. dimensions that when T-bridge II is observed from any branch, the branch is terminated in its. characteristic impedance. This, then, is a matched termination and the T-bridge is sometimesreferredto as a matched junction. Though matching is prefe r. able, the invention being describeddoes notrequire that the .T -bridge be matched and} there. forethe 'inventionisfnot to be limitedto such junctions. Frequency changersiland 23 are in: serted in branches Hand [5 in a mann er well known in the art. The,frequency,changers andl23 are located atelectrical distances Di and D2 from the center of theT-bridge II, The fre; quency changers 22 and 23 aredesigned to ap: proximately terminate the branches {2 and. [E in theircharacteristic impedance. Where considerable matching difficulty' is' encountered due to variation of the impedance of the frequency changingimeansfland 23; it is advisable to make the difference between the electrical distances Dr and D2' an 'odd. number ofquarter wave lengths. This may'be'accor'nplished by adding physical length to either wave guide branch. I2 or by inserting in one of the bran'chies l 2' or 5 thelproper amount of a dielectricsuch as polystyrene, When D1 and D2 differ by an odd number of, quarter wave lengths, some'absorptive loadlinot shown) is placed within the branch l3 which connects to av local oscillator 32.; Neither the quarter wave insert nor the absorptive load havebeen incorporated in any of the drawings. Otherwise,. the distances D1 and D2 needbear no specific relationship to'each other, however, for manufacturing reasons they are generally equal The most com mon practice at present is to terminate the branches i2 and [5 in short circuits 24 and 25 and use tuning screws26 and 3| to adjust for a matched termination. Other terminations and tuning means are'known to the art and may be used. Therefore, this. invention isnot to I be limited to' the ter ination and tuning means herein illustrated anddescriDedQA local oscile later 32 is connected tqthe branch 13. A source of radio frequency signal energy 33 is connected to the branch i4. Intermediate. frequencyfiI F):

vernacula .ceiver stage 36 as is shown in the patent application S. N. 584,226 mentioned above.

Thesignal energy from the source will divide at the junction of the T-bridge I! and pass on to the frequency changers 22 and 23. This energy will arrive at the frequency changers 22 and 23 in phase. Fundamental energy from local oscillator 32 will divide at the junction of the T-bridge l I and pass on to the frequency changers 22 and 23. This energy will arrive at the frequency changers 22 and 23 in phase opposition. One of the propertie and advantages of using the T-bridge H is that energy from the localoscillator 32' will not pass into the branch I4 carrying the signal energy and; therefore it cannotv be radiated. The fundamental energy from the oscillator 32 and the energy from the signal source 33 will be combined at the frequency changers 2 2 and 2 3 and produce IF energy which is fed to I F amplifiers 34 and 35, This IF energy will be referred to as first IF energy. This first IF energy will be in phase or in 180 phase 0pposition at the IF amplifiers 34 and 35 depending upon the manner in which the frequency changers 22 and 23 havebeen connected. If the difference inelectrical distances from the center of the T-bridge H to the frequency changing means 22 and 23 is an odd number of quarter wave lengths anyreflections which occur the frequency changingmeans will, upon return to the junction at the .T-b, ridge, pass into the branch i 3. Noise energy from the local source 32 passing through branch it arrives at the frequency changers22 and 23 in.180 phase opposition just as did the fundamental energy of local oscillator 32. The resulting. IF energy produced by the fundamental energy and the noise energy from the .localoscillator will be in 180 phase opposition or in phaseat the IF amplifiers 3-2. and 35 depending upon the manner in which the frequency changers 22 and 23have been connected. This IF energy will be referred to as second IF energy. If the. frequency changers 22 and 23 have been connected so that the first IF energy is fed in phase to receivers IFs 34 and 35, this first IF energy can be added directly in IF receiver .36. It will be noted that if this is done the second IF energy fed .to them-amplifiers 3t and 35, being in 180 opposition, will cancel out in IF receiver 36 By thesarne reasoning if the frequency changers 22 and 2 3 are connected'to produce first IF: energy in 180 phase opposition, second IF energy fedto the IFlamplifiers a s and 35 will again canceloutin. IF receiver 33. It can also beshown thatthese same advantages are also manifest when positions occupied by the local oscillator 32 andradiofrequency signal source 33 are interchanged, Because the frequency chang ing circuit of. Fig. 1 gives two outputs of substantially equal magnitude, it willbe referred to as a.

Qflthese, T- bridges meet the conditions setf rth for. the ,T-bridg e of Figrl. A source 24 of radio frequencysignafenergy is connected to branch 45 of the. T- bridg e 4L Wave guide branches 4B an .5 .I .'.ids a e. s t erminated at 92 and t and provided with frequency changing means 54 and 55. Suitable coupling means 59 and ti connect frequency changing means 54 and 59 to a receiver IF 92. A branch 63 of T-bridge ii connects to a branch 64 of the T-bridge 42. A local oscillator source 95 connects to a branch 69 of the T-bridge 42. An absorptive load II terminates a branch I2 of the T-bridge 42. A branch "it of T-bridge 42 connects to a branch I4 of the T bridge A transmitter I5 is connected to branch of T-bridge A3 in a manner well known in the art. Wave guide branches 9| and 82 of T- bridge are suitably terminated at 83 and 94 in the same manner as at 24 and 25 in Fi 1 and provided with irequency changin means 85 and at similar to frequency changing means 24 and 2b in Fig. 1. Any suitable coupling means 9! and @2, well known 'in the art, connect frequency changing means 89 and 8'15 to the receiver AFC IF In operation the circuit operates the same as Fig. 1, energy from local oscillator 95 enters the branch and divides at the junction of the T- bridge :12; and passes on to the T-bridge M and 43. At the junction of the T-bridge 4|, the local oscillator energy divides and passes on to the frequency changing means 54 and 55. This local oscillator energy arrives at frequency changing means and 55 in 180 phase opposition. At the junction of the T-bridge 42 the local oscillator energy divides and passes on to the frequency changing means 5 and 89. This local oscillator energy arrives at frequency changing means 85 and 535 in 180 phase opposition. The radio frequency signal energy from source 44 enters through the branch 45 of the T-bridge 4I, divides at the junction and passes on to the frequency changing means 54 and 55 arriving at these frequency changing means in phase. For the same reason as explained in the discussion relating to Fig. 1, energy from the local oscillator 55 will not pass into the branch 95 and, therefore, it cannot be radiated. The combination of energy from the local oscillator 95 and the source 44 at the frequency changing means 54 will produce IF energy at outputs and SI. This IF energy may be in phase or in 189 opposition at the receiver IF 62 depending upon the manner in which the frequency changing means 54 and 55 are connected. The energy from the transmitter I5 enters the branch it, divides at the junction of T-bridg 43 into branches 3i and 92 and arrives at the frequency changing means 85 and 89 in phase. The combination of energy from the local oscillator 65 and transmitter It at the frequency changing means 55 and 85 produces AFC IF energy at the outputs and 92. This energy may be in phase or in 180 phase opposition upon arrival at the receiver depending upon the manner in which the frequency changing means 35 and 86 are connected. If any one or all of the mixers 54, 55, 85, and 5e are not perfectly matched to their respective wave guide branches, reflections will 00- cur. Some of this reflected energy will be transmitted toward 'i'-bridge 42. Use of the T-bridge d2 when it is matched is advantageous in that the T-bridge i2 acts as a decoupling device be-- tween T-bridge 4i and 43. Any energy from T- bridge ii will be absorbed by the load II and a load in the branch 69 (not shown). The same statement will be true for any energy from T- bridge To those skilled in the art it will be obvious that in T -bridge 4] the branches 45 and 93 may be interchanged, in T-bridge 42 the branches 6t and I2 may be interchanged and in T-bridge 43 the branches I4 and 16 may be interchanged. The discussion given about noise cancellation when the operation of the system shown in Fig. l was described also applies to the frequency changing circuits of Fig. 2. As explained in the discussion of Fig. 1, the variation in the undesired reflections.

insertion such as described for Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is shown a balanced signal frequency changing circuit in combination with an unbalanced or single-ended, i. e., having one output, AFC frequency changing circuit which utilizes two T-bridges and 99. A local oscillator 81 i connected to a branch 93 f the T-bridge 95. A branch 99 of the T-bridge 95 is suitably terminated and provided with a frequency changing means IBI. Suitable coupling means I92 connects the frequency changing means ltl to a receiver AFC I93. A transmitter ass also connects into the branch 99-. A branch Hi5 of the T-bridge 95 is terminated in an absorptive load I96. A branch I91 of the T-bridge 95 is connected to a branch I08 of the T-bridge 96. A branch I99 connects the T-bridge 96 to a radio frequency signal source III. Branches H2 and H3 are suitably terminated and provided with frequency changing means H4 and H5 similar to 1. Suitable coupling means H6 and I I! connect the frequency changing means H4 and H5 to a receiver IF I I8.

In the operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 energy from local oscillator 91 enters the branch 98 and divides at the junction of the T-bridge 95, part of the energy going into the branch 99 and a part of the energy going into the branch 59?. Energy from transmitter I04 enters the branch 99 and is combined with energy from the local oscillator 9! at the frequency changing means II to give an AFC IF energy. The AFC IF energy is fed by the coupling means I92 to the receiver I 93. The load I 99 in branch I05 absorbs any energy which passes into that branch and prevents undesired reflections. The energy from the local oscillator 91 which enters the branch IIl'I continues through the branch I08. At the junction of the T-bridge 96 this local oscillator energy divides into the branches H2 and H3. This local oscillator energy arrives at the frequency changing means H4 and H5 in phase opposition. Radio frequency signal energy from the signal source III enters the ranch Hi9 and divides at the junction of the T-bridge 99 between branches II2 and H3. This signal energy arrives at the frequency changing; means I I4 and H5 in phase. The combination. of local and signal energy at frequency changers H4 and H5 produces IF energy at the outputs;

H6 and III which may be in phase or in push-- pull depending upon the manner in which the frequency changing means I I4 and I I5 have been.

connected. The discussion of noise cancellation in connection with the description of the operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 applies to the signal frequency changing circuit shown in Fig. 3. As explained in the discussion of Fig. 1,. the variation in the impedance of the frequency changers may cause undesired reflections. In such cases the effect is minimized by the use of a quarter wave length insertion such as described for Fig. 1. It is understood that branches 99 and I 01 may be interchanged in T bridge 95 and that ;b ranche s I98 and I09 may be -interchangedin T-bridge 96.

Referring now to Fig. 4, there is shown a balancedsignal and balanced AFC frequency chan ing circuit which utilizes only one T-bridge. The T-bridge IZI includes branches I22, I23, I24, and I25. A signal source I26 is connected to the branch I24. A local oscillator I 3I and a transmitter 532 are connected to the branch I23 in a manner well known to the art. Frequency changing means I33 and I34 and IF energy output couplings I35 and I36 are fitted into branches I22 and I25 in a manner well known in the art. Branches I22 and I25 are suitably terminated to maximize the output of IF energy at terminals I35 and I36. A section of coaxial line MI is connected between the IF energy outputs I 35 and I36. This coaxial line I4! is normally filled with a substance having a high dielectric constant so that its physical length for an electrical wave length at the intermediate frequency is not cumbersome. This invention, however, is not limited to the use of a coaxial line filled with a substance of high dielectric constant. Furthermore, the coaxial line MI is designed to have a characteristic impedance approximately equal to the impedance of the frequency changing means I33 and I34. In Fig. 4 the total length of the line i4! is one and one-fourth wave lengths. Intermediate frequency energy outputs are provided at I44 and I45. The difference in electrical length from output I44 to the frequency changing means I33 and. I34 is an odd number of half Wave lengths. The difierence in electrical length from output I45 to the frequency changing means I33 and I34 is an odd number of half wave lengths. intermediate frequency energy outputs are also provided at I46 and I5I. The difference in electrical length from output I45 to the frequency changing means I33 and I34 is an integral number of Wave lengths. The difference in electrical length from output I5I to the frea quency changing means I33 and I34 is an integral number of Wave lengths. Integral number includes .zero. It will be noted that the distance from any of the outputs in coaxialline I4I to either frequency changing means I33 or I34 is an odd number of one eighth Wave lengths. A definite advantage is thus achieved. The .impedance at these points looking toward either frequency changing means is the characteristic impedance ofthe-line E4'I and is not a function of. the impedance of the frequency changing means and is, therefore, a constant.

In the operation of the circuit of Fig. 4, the radio frequency signal from signal source I26 enters branch I24v and divides at the junction of the T-bridge 'I2I into branches I22 and I25. This divided energy reaches the frequency changing means I33 and I34 in phase. Energy from local oscillator I3I enters branch I23 and also divides at the junction of the. T-bridge I2 I into the branches I22 and [25. This divided energy from the local oscillator I3I reaches the frequency changing means I33 and I34 in 180 phase opposition. The IF ener y output produced by:

180pl1ase opposition. they arrive at I44 in phase."

These samjctwo energies at,I35 and I36 also arrive atcutput- I45 in phase. The signalsat 1 44 and I are in 180 phase opposition and may be util-izedin push-pull. 4 4 4 Energy from transmitter I32 enters branch I23 and divides at the junction of the T-bridge I2I into the branches I22 and I25. This divided energy from the transmitter I32 reaches the frequency changing means I33 and I34 in 180 phase opposition. The combination of the energies from the transmitter I32 and the local oscillator I3I-produces AFC IF energy at the outputs I35 and I36. This energy has wave forms and relative phases as shown at I42 and I43 and marked AFC. In reaching the common output I46 the AFC IF energy at I36travels one complete wave length farther than the corresponding AFC IF energy at I35. Since these energies were in phase at I35 and I36, they will arrive at I46 in phase. Output I5I, which is one-half wave length away from output I45, will also have an AFC IF energy output, but it will be in 180 phase opposition to V the energy at I46, and these energies may, there- 7 force 'therinmutually perpendicular, the re-.

fore, be combined in push-pull. If either frequency changing means I33 or I34 is reversed in its manner of connection, the Wave forms associated with that frequency changing means will be inverted. In such a case it will be obvious to those skilled in the .art that the AFC output will appear at what is now the signal output and vice versa.

While there has been described what is at present considered the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it is, therefore, aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true scope and spirit of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. A radio frequency mixer comprising a T-bridge including four waveguide branches mounted together at a point, a first pair of said branches being arranged to have the electric lines of force therein mutually perpendicular, the remaining pair of said branches being arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane which passes through the axes of both of said branches of said first pair, a non-linear frequency mixer mounted in each branch of one of said pairs of branches, means for introducing a radio frequency signal into one of the branches of the other of said pairs of branches, means for introducing a local oscillator signal into the other of said branches of said other pair of branches, and means for combining the intermediate frequency signal outputs from said mixers.

2. A radio frequency mixer comprising a T-bridge including four waveguide branches mounted together at a point, a first pair of said branches being arranged mutually perpendicular and beingorien'ted to have the electric lines of maining pair of said branches being colinear and arranged symmetrica'llt and perpendicularly with respect to a plane which passes through the axes of both of said branches of said'first pair, a nonlinear frequency mixer mounted in each branch of one of .saidpairs of branches, means for introducing a radio frequency signal into one of the branches of the other of said pairs of branches, means for introducing .a local oscillator signal into the other of said branches of said other .pair of branches, and'means for combining the inter.- mediate frequency signal outputs from said mixers.

3. A radio frequency mixercomprising a first T-bridge including four waveguide branches mounted together at a point, i a first pair of branches of said T-bridge being arranged to have the electric lines of force therein mutually perpendicuiar, the remaining pair of branches of said first T=bridge being arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane which passes through the axes of both branches of said first pair of branches of said first T-bridg'e, a non-linear frequency mixer mounted in each branch of one of .15 waveguide branches of said, second T-bridge being arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane which passes through the axes of both branches of said first pair of branches of said second T-bridge, a non-linear frequency mixer mounted in each branch of one of the abovementioned pairs of branches of said second T-bridge, means for introducing a second radio frequency signal into one of the branches of the other pair of branches ofsaidsecond T-bridge, the other branches of other pairs of branches of both of said "r-bridges being coupled together, means for introducing a local oscillator frequency signal into said last-mentioned branches, means for deriving from said frequency mixers mounted in said first T bridge a first intermediate frequency signal, and means for deriving from said frequency mixers mounted. in said second T-bridge a second intermediate frequency signal.

4. A radio frequency mixer according to claim 3 in which said means for inserting the local oscillator frequency signal comprises a third T-bridge including four waveguide branches mounted together at a point, a first pair of branches of said third T-bridge being arranged to have the electric lines of force therein mu tually perpendicular, the remaining pair of branches of said third T-bridge being arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane which passes through the axes of both branches of said first pair of branches of said third Tbridge, one of said pairs of branches of said third T-bridge coupling said other branches ofsaid other pairs of branches of both said first and second 'T-bridges, and means for introducing the local oscillator frequency signal into one of the branches of the other pair of branches of said third T-bridge. i

5. A radio frequency mixer according to claim 4. in which said branches of said first pair of branches of each of said T-bridges are mutually perpendicular and said branches of said remaining pair of branches of each of said T-bridges are colinear and perpendicular to both of said branches of said first pair.

6. A radio frequency mixer according to claim branches of said first T-bridge being arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane which passes through the axes of both of said first pair of branches of said first T-bridge, a nonlinear frequency mixer mounted in each branch of one of the above-mentioned pairs of branches of said first T-bridge, means for introducing a first radio frequency signal into one of the branches of the other pair of branches of said first T-bridge, a second T-bridge including four waveguide branches mounted together at a point, a first pair of branches of said second T-bridge being arranged to have the electric lines of force therein mutually perpendicular, the remaining pair of branches of said second T-bridge being arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane which passes through the axes of both of said first pair of branches of said second T-bridge, the other branch of said other pair of branches of said first T-bridge being coupled to one branch of one of said pairs of branches of said second T-bridge, a non-linear frequency mixing device mounted in the other branch of said one pair of branches of said second T-bridge, means for introducing a second radio frequency signal in said other branch of said one pair of branches of said second T-bridge, means for introducing a local oscillator frequency signal into one branch of the other pair of branches of said second T-bridge, means terminating the other branch of said other pair of branches of said second T-bridge in its characteristic impedance, means for deriving a first intermediate frequency signal from said mixers in said first T-bridge, and means for deriving a second intermediate frequency signal from said mixer in said second T-bridge.

8. A radio frequency mixer comprising a T-bridge including four waveguide branches mounted together at a point, a first pair of said branches arranged to have the electric lines of force therein mutually perpendicular, the remaining pair of said branches being arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane which passes through the axes of both of said branches of said first pair, a non-linear frequency mixer mounted in each branch of one of said pairs of branches, means for introducing a first radio irequency signal into one of the branches of the other of said pairs of branches, means for introducing a second radio frequency signal into the other branch of said other pair of branches, means for introducing a local oscillator frequency signal into said other branch of said other pair of branches, transmission means having a length an odd multiple of a quarter wavelength of a I beat frequency of said local oscillator and radio frequency signals and coupling said mixers together, output means coupled to said transmission means at a point spaced from both said mixers by amounts that differ by an odd number of half wavelengths of said beat frequency for obtaining a first intermediate frequency signal T-bridge including, four. waveguide branches tually perpendicular, the remaining pair of from the beating of said local oscillator and said first radio frequency signals, and means coupled to said transmission means at a point spaced from both of said mixers by amounts that differ by an integral number of whole wavelengths of said beat frequency signal for obtaining a second intermediate frequency signal from the beating of said local oscillator and said second radio frequency signals.

' 9. Apparatus for mixing periodic waves having different frequencies comprising: a double T-shaped wave-guide assembly, having a crossarm common to both Ts and a pair of branch arms perpendicular to said cross-arm and t each other, receptive of said waves, for derivin from one, two constituent waves of opposite phase, and from another, two constituent waves of like phase; and means, receptive of all of said constituent waves, for deriving therefrom an output Wave whose frequency is an arithmetic function of the frequencies of the initial waves.

10. Apparatus for mixing periodic'waves having difierent frequencies comprising: a double .1- shaped Wave-guide assembly, having a cross-arm common to both TS and a pair of branch arms perpendicular to said cross-arm and to each other, receptive of said waves, for deriving from one, two constituent waves of opposite phase, and from another, two constituent waves of like phase; means, terminating said cross-arm, for combining said first-named constituent waves, respectively, with said second-named constituent waves to derive therefrom two resultant waves of opposite phase; and means for combining said resulant waves to derive therefrom an output wave whose frequency is an arithmetic function of the frequencies of the initial waves.

11. Apparatus for mixing periodic waves having different frequencies comprising: a double T- shaped wave-guide assembly, having a cross-arm common to both Ts and a pair of branch arms perpendicular to said cross-arm and to each other, receptive of said waves, for deriving from one, two constituent waves of opposite phase, and from another, two constituent waves of like phase; a pair of oppositely-disposed, series-connected, non-linear impedances terminating said crossarm for combining said first-named constituent waves, respectively, with said second-named constituent waves to derive therefrom two resultant waves of opposite phase; and means for combining said resultant waves to derive therefrom an output wave whose frequency is an arithmetic function of the frequencies of the initial waves.

12. Apparatus for mixing periodic waves having difierent frequencies comprising means, receptive of said waves, for dividing the same into two oppositely-phased pairs of similarly-phased constituent waves, and two additional pairs of constituent waves, the waves of one of said additional pairs being of like phase and the waves of the other additional pair being of opposite phase; means for combining the constituent waves of each of said first-named pairs to derive therefrom two resultant waves of like phase, and for combining the constituent waves of each of said second-named pairs to derivetherefrom two resultant waves of opposite phase; and means for so combining said first named resultant waves as to produce a zero output, and for so combining said second-named resultant waves as to produce an output wave whose frequency is an arithmetic function of the frequencies of the initial. waves.

13. Apparatus for mixing periodic waves .having diiferent frequencies comprising: a double 1''- shaped wave-guide assembly, having a cross-arm common to both Ts and a pair of branch arms perpendicular to said cross-arm and to each other, receptive of said waves, for dividing the same into two oppositely-phased pairs of similarly-phased constituent waves, and, two additional pairs. of constituent waves, the waves of one ofv said additional pairs being of like. phase and the: waves of the other additional pair being of opposite phase; means for combining the constituent Waves of each of said first-named pairs to derive therefrom two resultant waves of like p n for combining the constituent waves of .each ofsaid second-named pairs to derive therefrom two resultant waves of .oppositephase; and means for so combining .said first-named resultant waves as to produce a zero output, and for so combining said second-named resultant waves as to produce an output wave whose frequency is an arithmetic function of the frequencies of the initial waves.

14. Apparatus for mixing periodic waves having different-frequencies comprising: a double T- .shaped wave-guide assembly, having a cross-arm common to both Ts and a pair of branch arms .perpendicular to said cross-arm and to each other, receptive of said waves, for dividing the same into two oppositely-phased pairs of similarly- ;phased constituent waves, and two additional pairs of constituent waves, the waves of one of said additional pairs being'of like phase and the therefrom two resultant waves of like phase, and

for combining the constituent waves of each of said second-named pairs to derive therefrom two resultant waves of opposite phase; and means for so combining said first-named resultant waves as to produce a zero output, and for so combining said second-named resultant waves as to produce an output wave whose frequency is an arithmetic function of the frequencies of the initial waves.

15. A wave-guide assembly comprising: a main wave-guide section having a non-linear impedance at each of the opposite ends thereof; and a pair of branch wave-guide sections, perpendicular to said main wave-guide section and to each other, extending outwardly from said main waveguide section.

16. A wave-guide assembly comprising: a main wave-guide section having a crystal detector at each of the opposite ends thereof; and a pair of branch wave-guide sections, perpendicular to said main wave-guide section and to each other,

extending outwardly from said wave-guide section.

17. A wave-guide assembly comprising: a main wave-guide section having a pair of oppositelydisposed, series-connected, non-linear impedances at the opposite ends thereof; and a pair of branch wave-guide sections, perpendicular to said main wave-guide section and to each other, extending outwardly from said main wave-guide section.

18. A wave-guide assembly comprising: a main wave-guide section having a pair of oppositelydisposed, series-connected, crystal detectors at the opposite ends thereof; and a pair of branch waveguide sections, perpendicular to said main waveguide section and to each other, extending out wardly from said main wave-guide section;

ROBERT DICKE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

